Wavelength Selector External Cavity Laser Diode by Fiber Switch

A Fabry–Perot laser diode coupled to a single-mode fiber Bragg grating has the ability to emit a single longitudinal mode. In this paper a wavelength selector source based on a mechanical fiber switch used to change the Bragg grating in front of the laser diode is investigated. The external laser wavelength is changed. Critical coupling exists between the two fiber ends of the switch, which leads to the creation of a parasitic cavity inside the laser cavity. The aim of this work is to optimize the coupling ends of a single-mode fiber switch with respect to coupling efficiency and afterward measure the laser output power variation and spectrum to check their optical feedback characteristics on the relative intensity noise. Typical emission performance is a power of −2.5 dBm with a SMSR of 43 dB and a RIN of −146 dB/Hz.